


Is this an Existence?

by Spookyfish



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Canon Compliant, Domestic MSR, F/M, MSR, Post-Episode: s08e21 Existence, Scenes in between, Spoilers, fuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:27:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26414134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spookyfish/pseuds/Spookyfish
Summary: Part of The X Files Episodes Fanfic Exchange 2020 - Written for KathyIsWeirdSet Post Episode - Existence, picking up from the kiss at the end of the episode.Some spoilers for Existence and leads into Nothing Important Happened Today.
Relationships: Dana Scully & William | Jackson Van De Kamp, Fox Mulder & William | Jackson Van De Kamp, Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Comments: 10
Kudos: 22
Collections: X-Files Episode Fanfic Exchange (2020)





	1. Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KathyIsWeird](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KathyIsWeird/gifts).



As they pulled away Dana looked into Mulder’s eyes taking in what he had just said to her ‘the truth we both know’. He was distracted, focusing on their son, that beautiful smile of his grinning for his new son. She knew, much like he had gone to the ends of the earth for her that he would do the same for their son to keep him safe. 

He just stood there and held William mesmerised, the creation of their partnership. William grabbed his little finger and blew a raspberry, once more that huge Mulder grin appeared. Scully watched from the living room as Mulder did baby talk to William. She spied the presents that the lone gunmen had left and picked them up walking into the bedroom.   
“So do you want to find out what the Gunmen have given William?” she asked Mulder  
“Yep, although whether it’s appropriate for a baby is another matter”, smirking at the end of the sentence. 

They both sat on the bed, Mulder still holding William as Scully opened the first present. He was starting to yawn and snuggle down against Mulder. The box shaped parcel was a baby monitor, but with some Gunman amendments according to the note with the parcel. The both of them would be taking up what exactly were the amendments were before plugging it in…   
Scully picked up William from Mulder’s arms and laid him down in the crib having dropped off to sleep. They both just stood there, side by side looking at him, arms around each other.   
“We made this” she said to him  
“Indeed we did” he replied, kissing her on the forehead and hugging her tighter from the side. 

He let his hold go to open the remaining two presents from the Gunmen, a sensible set of onesies, that had to be Byers influence, and a book of folklore tales. Mulder smiled at the last present, the Gunman knew him too well, their child would need to understand the world of cryptids at an early age having him as a parent! 

The light was starting to go, they’d not eaten yet, so maybe it was time for the pizza delivery guy to call the apartment once more. It had been a busy couple of days and neither was in the mood for cooking. Getting sorted as a family could wait until tomorrow. 

Scully moved into the kitchen to get plates out for the pizza which had just arrived and sat on the table, Mulder came up behind her putting his arms around her and snuggling his face in her neck.   
“Hey there my favourite mommy”  
“Well hello daddy”, she replied turning around in his arms, once more they kissed. 

They sat around the kitchen table to eat, discuss the information that had come to light in the run up to the birth of William and where they would go from here. 

Mulder updated her about Billy Miles being a super solider following the changes post abduction, how Agent Crane and Knowle Rohrer were involved with Kersh on the cover up. Billy Miles had got into the Hoover Building and Skinner had ended up in Hospital with concussion. Krycek was dead, bullet in the head courtesy of Skinner. Lots of questions about both of them were still unanswered, to be investigated to close off how they fitted into the super soldier programme from the statements during Mulder’s last visit to the Hoover Building. Finding those answers would help them protect William in the future from those who would harm him. 

Scully came back to the birth of William; she felt such fear with the others like Billy Miles who were at the birth. Why hadn’t they taken him? Mulder commented how they were all leaving Democrat Hot Springs as he arrived in the helicopter. It was all a blur to Scully as she held William close having just given birth. As she had said, was William a miracle to this group?   
“Mulder… How did you know where to find us?”   
“Like I said, I followed the light. We got to Democrat Hot Springs, we’d followed the star in the sky that led me to you. The ‘Spooky’ sense came out for you” he teased at the end with a smile. 

So many questions, so much uncertainty in their lives. Dana felt fear…. What would ‘The Truth’ reveal? Hand clenched on the kitchen table, a physical sign of the fear felt inside. Mulder’s larger hand came over and covered it, encompassing her small hand. She looked up, he was there looking at her, trying to check if she was OK. Looking back into those eyes, tears started to fall as she shared the fear with the one person that she could truly open up to and show her weaknesses. He got up from the chair so he could hold her close, protect her from the world.


	2. Plans for the Future

Over the next few days they started to put plans for the future together. There was concern that others were after Mulder, the next best thing would be to take his child. He just wanted to protect them. 

They ran through various combinations and variations, moving home, leaving the FBI, running away, the need for answers so they knew what the future held. All had issues, leaving parts not covered. It seemed whichever way they turn at least one of the three of them was at risk. If they ran away, they could be together but would always be looking over their shoulders and no access to information to get the answers they need to have some certainty in their lives. 

Dana made the hardest request of her life, she knew Mulder didn’t want to leave them. But all logic pointed to the answer. She asked Mulder to go into hiding, to find the answers about the people who wanted to take William. 

Decision made, they had to put the practicalities into motion. Mulder’s apartment was emptied between storage and donations they had cleared it in a few days, the last few bags going up to Maggie Scully’s house when it was convenient. The fish were going to permanently live with Scully, a bittersweet reminder of Mulder in their lives everyday. Mulder was living in Scully’s apartment full time, taking every opportunity to spend time with her and William before the day came for him to leave. This taste of domestic life as a family would be but a pause. 

Scully went out to pick up some paperwork, taking William with her. Meanwhile Mulder had pick up some groceries, toiletries and visit the bank to take out some cash ready to leave with. He was now attempting to cook them dinner, but the years as a bachelor and reaching for take out or eating out when away was catching up with him. How hard could it be to make a tasty meal, even if he was following the recipe on the jar of sauce he had. The kitchen had things on all the work surfaces, a mucky tea towel tucked into the waistband of Mulder’s jeans from wiping his hands. 

Scully came into the apartment and smelt the tomato aroma and heard Mulder in the kitchen… dropping her files on the desk she went through to the kitchen, holding William against her chest.  
“Mul-der… I can see that you’re attempting to cook dinner, what were you planning it to be?” she enquired, Mulder turned around with his puppy dog eyes going, telling her to please help him without asking.  
“Pasta with a Bolognese sauce, I even added some vegetables to it.” Scully smirked at the end part of the comment, bless he was trying so hard to be a model partner and dad.  
“How about I put this little one down to sleep for a while and help you finish off here. Thanks for cooking”  
“If we’re going to be a family, even for a short time I want to pull my weight. Maybe the cooking part isn’t my strongest skill”  
“Hmm Mulder, much as I love you, I have to agree there are many things you’re good at, but cooking isn’t one of them. You clean up here and I’ll see what we need to sort out to get this meal ready to eat.”  
“Thanks Dana” he replied kissing her on the lips to show how much he appreciated this action.  
She headed off and laid William down in the crib, talking to him as she went. Meanwhile Mulder started picking up the items along the worktop that were no longer needed. As Dana came back into the kitchen he hugged her.  
“Mulder, that won’t sort out dinner.”  
“But I want to make sure I get as many hugs in as possible before I leave.” He replied, his head resting on hers.  
“Well lets get dinner sorted so we can spend more time together” as she guided him back towards the cooker. 

Whilst it was no Lady and the Tramp romantic pasta dinner, it was more fitting for their relationship. They talked plans and remembered old cases together. Dana teased him that he needed to keep himself out of hospitals as she wouldn’t be there to bust him out at the earliest opportunity or be there when he woke up from his latest mishap. They had both been reminded on the journey they had been on together which had ended with the current situation. They were each other’s constant and touchstone, they looked after each other’s backs, they would miss this support while apart, but one day they would hopefully be back together.


	3. Parting is such sorrow

Tomorrow was the day, Mulder would be walking out the apartment to find the answers they needed, not being able to touch, see, talk to Dana or William. 

Tonight was about them, together safe in Dana’s apartment as a family. Mulder played and cooed with William as Dana cooked his favourite meal. Fighting government conspiracies obviously didn’t mix well with a stable family life.   
Dana kept glancing into the living room seeing Mulder interact with William. A smile from ear to ear, playing with their son on his lap… baby talking to him about aliens, Samantha, even her. He was telling William to look after mummy for him, to be the perfect baby, to let Granny Maggie look after him when mummy had to work or go away. He hugged him closely at regular points as if this would impregnate his love of their child for the next few months while he was away. 

Food eaten, William put to bed, it was time for Mulder and Dana to have their time together. Some wine had been drunk with dinner, so they were being more amorous. Snuggling on the sofa, Mulder’s hands started to wander, stroking and teasing Dana interspersed with kisses and more. He just wanted to touch her as much as he could in the hope he would not forget while on the run. 

He awoke in the morning, his arms wrapped around Dana as they lay spooned in each other as often happened as he wrapped his longer, bigger body around her tender frame. He kissed her gently on the neck, before getting up to just gaze at their son once more, the light starting to creep around the curtains.

He stood there gently stroking William’s cheek as he started to stir awake, his little hand grabbing Mulder’s finger and clinging on with a fierce grip, as if to say don’t leave. Dana came up behind him and hugged him around his waist.   
“So is our little boy hungry?” She asked peeking her head around his arm.   
“I think it’s only a matter of time, he’s stirring. How about you feed him, and I sort out breakfast?”  
She kissed and hugged him once more, all while William clung to his finger. Mulder picked up and hugged William once more before handing him to Dana and heading for the kitchen. 

They sat around the kitchen table enjoying the coffee and croissants that made up this final meal together… Mulder gazed at Dana’s Blue eyes, taking them in, she gazed back at his hazel eyes… taking in every feature of his face as if trying to imprint it on her mind. 

Mulder packed the last of the items he needed to go undercover to find their answers they needed, heading for the shower before getting dressed.   
Bags packed and sorted for the day; it was time to leave. A final hug and kiss with his new family, tears falling down both his and Dana’s faces as they broke the hug. He picked up his bags and not looking back as it would stop him, walked out the apartment until who knew when…


End file.
